


Brothers Reunited

by Elinoic



Series: Brothers [2]
Category: Being Human (UK), The Almighty Johnsons
Genre: After AJ Season 3 ends, Anders goes to Bristol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-22
Updated: 2015-05-22
Packaged: 2018-03-31 17:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3987340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elinoic/pseuds/Elinoic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anders is no longer a god, no longer a business owner, no longer remembered by those who knew him, and forsaken by his family.  He goes to Bristol to find the only person in the world who might have a memory of Anders, because John Mitchell isn't human.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brothers Reunited

It was a broken man who walked into the hospital and up to the reception desk.  Life had spiraled downward since that day.  That one awful day that had started with such expectations and ended with nothing.  Now he had less than nothing. 

Anders walked up to the reception desk.  An elderly woman with boufy purple hair and red glasses on the end of her nose looked up to him.

“How can I help you, dear?” she asked.

“Is John Mitchell working here today?” he asked. 

The woman looked through some papers.  “Mitchell, Mitchell,” she said, scanning a list.  “Ah, yes, he is.”

“Is there a way I can get a message to him?”

“I can page him.  What would you like me to tell him?”

“Tell him Anders Johnson is here.”

The woman nodded and picked up a phone.  She dialed and spoke, “John Mitchell, please call the main reception desk.”  She hung her phone back up.  “Why don’t you sit and relax?  It might take a few minutes.”

“Thanks,” Anders said, backing up a few paces to where some uncomfortable seats were placed.  He set his suitcase up alongside his chair and he leaned into it.  He was weary from his journey and he was scared as heck at what might happen.  After losing his god powers, all mortals who had known him, forgot him.  But Mitchell wasn’t a normal mortal, so he wasn’t sure if the rules applied to him.  If Mitchell didn’t know him, he would be heart-broken, but he was prepared with a plan B, if needs be.  He nervously waited for the receptionist’s phone to ring.  When it finally did, Anders jumped off his chair and went back to the desk.

“Hello, Mr. Mitchell,” she said, “there’s a man here to see you a mister,” she looked at Anders again, having forgotten his name.

“Anders Johnson.”

“Andrew Johnson,” she said into the phone.

“No, Anders, not Andrew,” he spoke loudly, hoping that maybe Mitchell would hear him.  “ _Anders_ Johnson.”

“I’ll let him know,” she said and hung up the phone.

“Mr. Mitchell said he would be right down,” the woman said.  “Anders.  That’s an unusual name.”

“It’s Norse,” he said flatly.

“Are you Norse?” she asked.

“Not anymore,” he said sadly and sat back down again.  He didn’t have to wait long until a tall, thin man in scrubs and wild, curly hair walked through the door from the main part of the hospital.  He looked around and saw Anders.

“Anders!” Mitchell ran to his friend and pulled him into a hug.  “I can’t believe you’re here!”  They grinned at each other for several moments before the smile disappeared from Mitchell’s face.  “What happened?  You smell human.”

“Long story,” Anders muttered.

“Are you human?” Mitchell asked.

Anders nodded.

For a moment, they just stared at each other’s eyes, before Mitchell seemed to decide something.  He smiled.  “Suitcase.  You’re staying for a while then?”

“Yeah, thinking about a bit of a holiday.”

“Need a place to stay?  You’re more than welcome, but my home is a bit more crowded and not nearly as comfortable as your place back in Auckland,” Mitchell said.

“Just for a night, if you don’t mind.  I can find somewhere tomorrow.”

“Sure, sure.  One night at my place and you’ll probably want to find somewhere else,” Mitchell smiled.  He could see and sense the sadness that radiated off of Anders.  Staying with Mitchell tonight probably had less to do with not being able to find a place to stay and more to do with needing a friend close by.

“I’ve got a bit of a break right now,” Mitchell said.  “Why don’t we go to the cafeteria?  We can have some awful coffee and talk.”

Anders gave him a smile.  “Yeah.”

Anders pulled his suitcase along and listened as Mitchell gave him a little tour of the hospital.  Anders had never been comfortable with hospitals, but really, who was?  At least he wasn’t here to stay.  Mitchell led them to the cafeteria and they found a table. 

“So,” Mitchell said, sitting down with a cup of coffee in his hand.  “What brings you here?”

“Wanted to see Bristol this time of year,” Anders shrugged.  There was that shrug again.  A sure sign to Mitchell that Anders was pushing away at some pain.

“And see it you will.  I’ll give you a first class tour tomorrow or whenever you’ve recovered from the jet-lag.”  Mitchell sipped at his coffee and groaned.  “This stuff really is awful.”

Anders took a sip and made a face.  “Hmm.  If they have to admit me here after this, you can tell them it was poison by hospital coffee.”

Mitchell grinned.  “I want to hear your story, but it will probably take longer than the ten minutes I’ve got here and it probably deserves a better ambience than the cafeteria.”

Anders nodded.  “When does your shift end?”

“Not for a couple hours still.  You could go to my place.  Annie is there and probably George, too.  They know all about you.  I can call them and warn them you’re coming.”  He pulled out his phone and pushed a button.  “George, hey.  Remember my friend Anders from New Zealand?  Yeah, well, he just turned up at the hospital.  No, not as a patient.  He’s visiting.  Yeah, I know.  Listen, he’s in need a place to stay for the night and I invited him.  He can have my room.  Just let him sleep or whatever until I get off at six, alright?”

Anders leaned forward.  “I don’t want to make trouble,” he started but Mitchell waved his hand at him.

“Okay.  Yeah.  Just tell Annie not to smother him.  ‘Kay.  He’ll be over in twenty minutes or so.” Mitchell hung up his phone and stuck it back into his pocket.  “It’s all set up.  Put your stuff in my room.  Annie will show you which one it is.  The bed, well, it’s more like a mattress on the floor, is comfortable and clean.  Annie’s got this strict cleaning schedule.  She changes the sheets every Tuesday, so that was yesterday.”

“It is Wednesday?” Anders asked.  He couldn’t really remember what day it was anymore.

Mitchell chuckled.  “Yeah, mate.  You’ve got to be tired.  Why don’t you head out?  Get some sleep and we’ll have dinner and you can tell me your story.”

They stood up and tossed their still full coffee cups. “Are you sure it’s alright with your friends?”

“Annie has probably already made three mugs of tea for you.  They’ve been so excited to meet you since I came back from New Zealand.  Just don’t let them pester you.  George will probably babble a lot and Annie will ask you all sorts of questions while pushing a cup of tea in your face.”

Anders smiled.  “I’m sure I can handle myself.  Thanks so much.”

“Hey,” Mitchell was grinning, “anything for you.”

They walked out and Mitchell waited until Anders could call a cab.  He told the cabbie the address of his pink house and helped get Anders luggage in the boot. 

Just before Anders got into the cab, he put his hand on Mitchell’s shoulder, “It’s good to see you again.”

Mitchell was surprised by the physical contact.  Anders was not one to touch other people like this.  Something truly awful must have happened to Anders for him to reach out like this.  “It’s good to see you again, too.”

The cab pulled up alongside the pink house.  “Here we are.”

“This pink place?”

“That’s the one,” the cabbie said.  Anders reached over the seat and paid the man.  They got out and the man opened the boot.  Anders started to get his luggage.

“Oh, here, let me help,” an unfamiliar voice said.

Anders turned to look.  It was a young man with a kind face and hair about the same color as his own. 

“I’m George.  I do hope Mitchell told you I was home.”

“He did, yes.”  They got the luggage into the house.  A young woman in a grey shirt, curly hair and a huge smiled awaited him.

“Anders it’s so great to finally meet you!  Mitchell’s talked so much about you.  I’m Annie,” she held out her hand.

Anders, for a second, wondered if this was the ghost and if he could really shake her hand, but to ignore her would be rude, so he reached his hand to hers and met it.

“Nice to meet you,” he said.

“I expect you’re tired.  Do you want some tea?” She produced a cup of steaming tea and held it out. 

“Sure, but let me get my things put away.”

“No worries, I’ll get it,” George said.  “You relax.”

Anders looked around the house with its sparse furnishings.  Mitchell’s description of his home had been quite accurate.  He sat down on the couch and the cup of tea was pushed into his hands.

“How was the flight?” Annie asked.

“Long, but vodka helps.” The tea was good.  Hot, but good.  George came back down. 

“When you’re ready, I’ll show you Mitchell’s room,” George said.  “You’ll probably want to get some sleep.”

Anders ran a hand over his hair, the curls stood on end.  Annie smiled at him.  “Well, we’ve got a million questions, but we’ll save them for later.  You just get some rest and we’ll get to know each other tonight.”

“Are you really a ghost?” Anders asked.

She laughed.  “I am and later I’ll show you some of my favorite ghostly tricks.” And with that, she popped away and Anders saw her appear in the kitchen.  His eyes were wide and Annie laughed. 

“Mitchell said you’re a Norse God,” George said.

Anders only nodded.  He wasn’t anymore, but he was going to tell that to Mitchell first.  He drank some more of the tea.  He handed his mostly empty cup back to Annie.  George showed him up to Mitchell’s room.  Mitchell had been pretty accurate in the description of his bed.  A mattress on the floor.  But it was neatly made and looked very comfortable.  Anders sat down and took off his shoes, then laid on the mattress.  It was comfortable and it smelled like Mitchell.  It took Anders longer to fall asleep than he expected, because he was so tired, but the noises of the house, the occupants and the street outside were strange.  Finally exhaustion won over and he fell asleep.

He was woken by Mitchell’s deep voice.  “Hey, I’m back.  You want to get up for a few hours?”

“No,” Anders rolled over.  Mitchell chuckled.

“You’ve got to get up if you expect your body to adjust to England time.”

“I don’t care,” Anders mumbled into the bed.

“You stink Anders, and that’s my bed your smelly body’s on.”

Anders mumbled a few choice swear words at Mitchell, but he moved and sat up.  He grabbed some clothes from his case and was shown the bathroom.  It was small and old, but it was clean, he could tell.  The shower felt good and helped to wake him up.  He found Mitchell changed out of his hospital scrubs and into his typical clothes.

“Feel better Sleeping Beauty?” Mitchell asked.

A few more choice words were exchanged before Anders remembered he wasn’t alone.  Annie, George and another woman were there, staring at him.

“Anders Johnson,” he said, holding out his hand to the other woman.

“Nina,” she simply said.

“Well, um, thanks for the rest.  I needed that,” Anders said.

“Want some more tea?” Annie asked.

Mitchell jumped up off the couch.  “Anders and I are going to dinner.  Catch up.  See you later.”  He grabbed Anders arm and pulled him towards the door.  Pleasantries were exchanged as well as some typical conversation, weather and whatnot.  Mitchell led Anders to a pub tucked away among some old buildings.

“Great food,” Mitchell said.  “Decent prices and it’s been run by the same family for seventy years.”

“Hello, Mitchell,” a young woman with a rosy face greeted him.

“Hi Maggie.  Hey, Maggie, this is my friend Anders.  Just came all the way out from New Zealand,” Mitchell introduced.

“New Zealand?  That’s on the other side of the world,” the girl smiled.

Anders nodded.  “And it takes forever and a day to fly across, too.”

“Well, you’ll be wanting some of Mam’s famous pie.  What do you think Mitchell?” Maggie asked.

“Sounds delicious, and two beers too.  The good stuff, mind,” Mitchell said, sliding into a booth.  Anders followed, sitting across from his friend.

“Of course,” Maggie said.  “Won’t be a tick.”

“As soon as we’ve got the food, she’ll leave us alone,” Mitchell said.  His smile was gone and he looked concerned.  “I want to know what’s going on.”

Anders ran his hands over his face.  “Yeah.  So, how was the rest of work?”

“Not bad,” Mitchell said.  “Cleaned up a few unpleasant things, and sat with an elderly woman during her last hour.”

Anders’ eyes went up.  “She died?”

“It happens a lot in the hospital, especially with the elderly.  Her only living son is living in America.  He was in flight when he passed on.  So I sat with her, since her family couldn’t.  I didn’t want her to be alone and I figured her son didn’t want her to be alone either.  Sweet lady, but she was old.  You could tell, she was content and ready.”

“Does that bother you?” Anders asked.

“Sometimes, but not much when it’s the elderly.  They’ve lived good, long lives.  They are sad to be leaving their families, but most of them have a spouse that has already passed on and they take great hope in seeing their loved ones on the other side.”

Anders smiled.  He didn’t figure he’d have anyone waiting for him.  His mother and father never loved him.  Perhaps Olaf would be there for him, but with the life Olaf led, maybe not.  Maggie reappeared with two plates and two large glass mugs filled to the rim with cold, dark beer. 

“Thanks, dear,” Mitchell said.  Maggie smiled and left them with their food.  Mitchell picked up his fork and dug into the meat pie.  It smelled great and Anders stomach started to rumbled at the sight and smell of the savory food.  He followed Mitchell’s example and dug in.  Turned out, it was as good as it smelled.

“Now,” Mitchell said, “what happened to you and what brings you here?”

“I would think the second question is obvious.  Why am I in Bristol?  To see you, you egg.  But, as to what happened, well, it’s a long story with a short answer.  I’m no longer a god.  Bragi has left me and I’m nothing but Anders Johnson, ex-owner of a PR business.”

Anders explained everything to Mitchell.  They slowly ate their pies and drank their beers while the story spilled from Anders.  It was good to finally be able to talk about it with someone.  Mitchell asked few questions, and let Anders just talk it all out.  Mitchell was shocked, at the very least, but he was more concerned about the sad, broken man who told him his story.  Anders had lost his powers, had lost his business, had lost his acquaintances, and was forsaken by his family and the god who had used his body as a living vessel.

“Now, I’ve got nothing,” Anders said.  “I’m thinking about applying for a VISA.  I could find a company to work for.  Live nearby.  We could hang out together sometimes.”

Mitchell sighed.  “Anders.  I can’t tell you how sorry I am that all this happened to you.  I didn’t know your brothers, except for Ty, but what your gods did to you was terrible.  They used you for years and just up and left you.  None of you deserve that after all you did for them.”

Anders snorted and drank the last of his beer.

“But I’m happy to see you.  Really.  I’m glad you came here.  But, Anders, my life is dangerous.  You didn’t see it in Auckland, because no one knew I was there, but here, I’m constantly being hunted by other vampires and mortals who are out to destroy my kind.  It’s just not safe.”

Anders felt like he’d been stabbed.  He had so wanted to just settle down here and work and try to forget the life he had been forced to leave behind.  Mitchell didn’t want him here.

“Oh,” Anders said.  “Right. Well, I’ll, um,” he didn’t know what to say now, or where to go.  He pulled out his phone.  There were two bars of reception.  Maybe if he stepped out, he’d get more.  “Excuse me, I need to make a phone call.  I’ll be right back.”  He scooted out of the booth and stepped out into the fresh air.  Three bars.  He pulled up the Internet and quickly flipped through hotels until he found one that was inexpensive.  He was about to make the call when the door opened and Mitchell stepped out.

“Who are you calling?” he asked.

“Hotel.  I’ll get out of your hair.”

“What?  No.  You don’t have to.  Listen, Anders, I didn’t say that to make you go away.  I want you here in Bristol. I’m just telling you the truth.”

“Mitchell, I might be somewhat drunk, but I can read between the fuzzy lines.  I’ll get a hotel room.”

“Well, if you want to, then go ahead, but really, I’m not trying to send you away.  Please come back in and let me explain.  If you still want to go after that, I’ll not stop you, but don’t go yet.”

Anders clicked his phone off and followed Mitchell back inside.  They sat back down.  Maggie brought new mugs filled with the same beer, flirted with the two men a bit and left them in peace again.

Mitchell explained his problems with the other vampires.  He shared some of his previous years with Anders, half expecting him to scream, get up and run off, but Anders just sat there and patiently listened.  Things with the rest of his kind were growing more restless and dangerous by the day.  Mitchell wasn’t sure what to do.  He had been considering joining with them.  Just giving up this fight to live among humanity and be who he had the potential to be.  The darkest, most dangerous vampire this country had ever seen.  But seeing Anders here, his friend and brother, sad and broken, Mitchell realized he didn’t want that life.  He wanted a life with his friends, who were more like his family.  He wanted to sit at the pub after a day of work, hanging out and talking with the good folk, who made the most of their short, mortal lives.  He didn’t want Anders to get hurt.

“Let’s go somewhere,” Mitchell sat up taller after a while.

“What?”

“Somewhere, that no one will look for us.”

“I’m not going back to New Zealand,” Anders said.

“And I can’t go back to Ireland.  It’s the first place someone would look, but the British Isles have a lot of secluded places.  I think we could probably hide for a long, long time,” Mitchell’s eyes lit up.

* * *

“Hey John!” Anders ran into the little house.  “It came, finally.  I can get a job.”

“Great,” Mitchell smiled.  “Now go get one.  I’m sick of your moping and moaning around the house because you’re bored.”

“I don’t mope and moan,” Anders rolled his eyes.  “And besides, I’ve already got a job lined up.  We were just waiting for this dumb paper to arrive.”

Mitchell looked at the VISA in Anders’ hands.  “That’ company you were telling me about.  The advertising agency?”

“Yep, that one,” Anders smiled.  “It’s a bit different from what I’ve done before, but I know I can do it.”

“Of course you can,” Mitchell smiled.  He already had his job, at the local clinic.  He cleaned, he answered the phone, he sat with patients, met with family members, ran the laundry machines, and did just about anything the clinic needed him too.  Anders was encouraging him to get his nursing license, knowing that Mitchell was capable of so much more than mopping up goo and changing towels.

They had settled into a tiny, two bedroom house on one of the off streets from the main part of the village on the island of Orkney.  It was cold, windy, and rural, but it was secluded.  Only George and Annie knew their whereabouts and the last time that they had gone back to mainland Scotland, Anders had called Ty and Dawn.  They didn’t know where he was, but he promised to keep in touch.  It was a huge change from what Anders was used to, but it reminded Mitchell of his youth in Ireland.  It wasn’t quite that primitive, but the pace of life was much slower and he loved it.  Anders was restless, but he was coming to terms with it.  No one here knew them.  No one knew Anders when he had been Bragi and no one knew of Mitchell’s condition.  And no one came there to find him.  Anders kept him fed when he needed it and was happy to help his friend in any way he could.

It was the way life should have been with a brother.  They fought, as brothers tend to do, but there was a lot more laughter than Anders had known with his brothers.  There was someone to complain to after a hard day and there was someone to celebrate your victories with, too.   Anders still enjoyed the company of women, when he could get them, but he soon found one special lass and at first, he was scared about a long term commitment, meaning a relationship that lasted longer than a month, but he found himself to be very contest with his lass.  With Mitchell as his brother and best mate and Nicola as his friend and lover, he found he didn’t need much else in the way of companions and for the first time in his life, Anders was completely happy.

* * *

“Anders, she is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Mitchell looked down at the tiny baby in his arms, not even three hours old yet.

Anders reached up and touched the tiny hand.  “I never wanted this, you know,” he whispered.  “I never wanted to settle down, marry and have a family.  I was part of the worst kind of family and I just didn’t want to live that again or subject it to anyone else.  But now,” Anders chuckled, “now that I have those things, I can’t imagine my life to be any other way.”

“You’ve done good.”

“I’m worried now, though.  Worried that I won’t do right by her.  Worried that I’ll be like my dad and that would be awful,” Anders said.

“You won’t be like him in the least.  You’re going to be a great dad and she is going to adore you,” Mitchell said.

“And have her Uncle John wrapped around her little fingers, right?” Anders asked.

“Of course.  She already does.” 

The tiny child blinked open her eyes and Mitchell couldn’t help but wonder if she would inherit her Dad’s sky blue eye color.  He hoped so.

“What are you calling her?” Mitchell asked.

“We were kind of thinking about Molly,” Anders said.  “After your cousin and my fish.”

“It’s a great name!” Mitchell said.  “I’m sure my cousin highly approves.”

“I’m going to take some pictures and send them to Ty later,” Anders said.

“I know he’ll be happy for you.”

“And what about you, John?”

“I’m happy for you, too.  I can’t have a life like yours, but you’re letting me be a part of your life and I’m looking forward to being an uncle.  How can I ever thank that German tour bus leader for letting the both of us on that bus back in Italy?”

“I don’t know, but it was a good thing they did,” Anders sighed, staring at his daughter in the arms of his best friend.


End file.
